okay, how about some car stuff?

[balsum fractus]

We bought my son a used 1984 Camaro for a high school  graduation present (even though he hadn't quite finished school yet.) He still has it to this day. Other than being bright red, it was nothing special..just a plain jane 305 automatic.

He let me drive it from time to time, but I did not find it particularly thrilling (campared to the various ones I had owned over the years.) His first upgrade was a set of IROC mags and tires. It certainly helped the appearance and cornering, but still nothing exciting about the drive.

Last year the exhaust system need to be replaced, so he got them to install a set of inexpensive headers. It sounded a lot better, but did not really add much to the performance. The authoritative sound made it seem like a lot more was happening than actually was.

Last week, he was having problems keeping it idling. After dozens of calls to find a shop that actually knows what a carburetor is, he took it in. They found that the butterfly shaft was badly worn (after only 180,000 miles???) and suggested a total replacement....oh and for a few bucks more, you can get an Edlebrock carb.....

"sure, why not".....

"how about a new aluminum Edlebrook manifold while we have the carb off....$150 more".....

"umm....sure...I guess..."  

Three days later, he has the car back. He had to buy a low profile K&N filter so that the hood would close. He came over yesterday to show me the new shiny bits......then took me out for a drive.....

OMIGAWD........

What a difference!! Easily double the power to the back wheels now. It will break them loose, and snap your head to the back of the seat on the launch. It has enough power to make the tires really work during cornering which pastes your bod up against the door (inspite of the seat belts)..The improved breathing allows the headers to create a significant powerful growl to the exhaust note.....and justifiably so....


I could not believe how it transformed a ho-hum street machine into an animal. I got to drive it, and it did bring back some of the adrenaline and memories of cars long past, maybe more so.............

[Onepoint]

Cool, they don't make them like that anymore, in fact, I find it ironic the keep trying more and more to make therm like late 60s early 70s muscle cars. And I have to admit the 09 Cameros look awesome, I had to do a double take the 1st time I saw the front of one to see if someone had not modified an original.

I never did the car thing, always seemed to spend my money elsewhere.

[jetmex]

just a plain jane 305 automatic.

Man, that 305 Chevy is a DOG right out of the box!!  They kind of downgraded that to a 301 and stuck them in the Trans Ams in 1980, which did absolutely nothing for that car.  The stuff they do for emissions....

The thing to remember about hot rodding engines is that they are basically just big air pumps.  To improve performance, improve the airflow.  That's the simple part.  Putting the components together t make that happen is where it gets tricky....Wayne, does the car have a Quadrajet carb?

I am getting to the point where I really want a car to play with, preferably a 74-78 Trans Am.  Maybe the better half will be in a benevolent mood come Christmas......

You know, Honcho, the new Camaro doesn't do anything for me.  I'm not sure why, but I think GM didn't do it nearly as well as Ford did with the Mustang or Dodge did with the Challenger.  And I'd really like to have one of them Challengers!

[Onepoint]

Now see, I like the mustang, never cared for the new challengers.  Good thing we weren't the design board eh?

[balsum fractus]

It probably was a quadrajet, but who knows....the main thing is how much a couple of bolt on pieces made such a difference.

I had an 82 Z28 with a 305 and it was a pretty nimble machine, especially since it was not lugging around all the weight of the earlier cars.... My fav was the 76 transam... I sold it after 2 months....otherwise I would have killed myself in it....but it was fun.

Guy up the street has a new camaro...doesn't do a thing for me...looks more like a fat mustang than a Camaro.....

[jetmex]

Good thing we weren't the design board eh?

You might be right.  I'd be adding things like twice pipes, button tuck, candy apple red, lowered to the ground, a big wing and the little doggie in the back with the head that bobs up and down......

Wayne, I couldn't afford to kill myself in my T/A.  I had to pay for the insurance, gas, and maintenance, and tires weren't cheap then, either!!  I could probably do that now, though.